Thursday, July 23, 2009

Local Love Fridays: A Walk on the Deliciously Wild Side - Taste Our Goods

Fun.

That's the first thing that strikes you about Taste Our Goods - the breakfast and lunch counter run by Nora Feldhusen and Suzanne Lipton. The food is absolutely delicious and the baked goods are decadent, but what hits you first is the face of the counter:

A gorgeous red velvet cake sits between tchotkes and specials signs on the counter.

Above, the sign lists sandwiches such as Kat's an Adult (prosciutto, arugula and aged provolone on a buttered baguette), Foley's Steak Sandwich (butt-rubbed steak, caramelized onions, Amish blue cheese and arugula drizzled with cherry vinaigrette on sourdough), and Judy's a Punk (grilled portabello, pesto, tomato and goat cheese). The names are even more fun when you learn that they are homages to friends and to those who work around the market, and that there are inside jokes, such as Foley is actually a vegetarian and the eponymous sandwich is designed to razz her.

I went to breakfast at Taste Our Goods and enjoyed a perfectly made "Caprese" omelette bursting with tomatoes, basil and mozzarella, accompanied by freshly toasted slices of Mill Pond Bakery's excellent multigrain bread and a fresh strawberry/watermelon/mint fruit salad. The serving was large enough that a friend and I split everything and still felt full.

And all of this for seven bucks.

Nora and Suzanne both graduated from U. of M. in May; Nora in Organizational Studies and Suzanne in the History of Art, and they started the baked goods business here a week later at Bob Sparrow's request. Soon after they were happily coerced into starting the lunch counter, and that expanded to breakfast, and now that has expanded to hiring more of their just-graduated friends, and...

They are having a really good time.

Everything other than breads (Mill Pond and Zingerman's breads are used) is made from scratch, and this means that you may have to wait a few minutes for your order. This isn't fast food in any way, shape or form, but it is completely worth the wait. The recipes are all their own or are from family and friends: the lemon caesar dressing is the recipe of K-ron (Karen, Suzanne's mother) and the special on Thursday, "Georgian Cheesy Bread," (otherwise known as Khachapuri) was given to Suzanne by the Georgian mother of a friend. They have outdoor seating, which is simply lovely in the summer, but you can also order a beverage at next-door Sweetwater's and relax and enjoy your food there when it's ready.

This is the newest member of what is, in my opinion, quickly becoming the hottest lunch spot in Ann Arbor - Kerrytown. Taste Our Goods serves up wonderful sandwiches and salads, Monahan's Seafood has a large and delicious variety of seafood options for lunch (which will be the subject of another post), A Knife's Work, out of Everyday Wines, provides artisan take-away created from local produce, meats and goods, and there is, as there always has been, the venerable Kosmo Deli.

The next time you visit the Hands-On Museum, peruse the shops on North Fourth, or even go to Town Hall to pay a parking ticket (well, maybe not that), stop by Kerrytown and meet one of the newest entrepreneurial teams in town and Taste Their Goods.

Taste Our Goods, located in Sparrow Market, Kerrytown, 407 N. Fifth, Ann Arbor, 769-2725. Hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays, lunch from 10 a.m. til 3 p.m. and breakfast from 8 a.m. til 11 a.m., as well as all day on Saturday.

In other news, my new gig started officially today. You can find this post, among a variety of others, at AnnArbor.com which went live this morning. I can be found under the Food and Drink section. Please come by and say hello!

Anno - I'm such a doof - I should have linked you as that "friend". BAH! And yes, delicious, huh? And isn't it funny that your wonderful salad was named after a vegetarian.

Lilac - YES! You must. Use ME as an excuse, the heck with your sorority. We're only a few hours from P'burgh and we have plenty of room for you and CB - and your mom and dad, too, if they want to join!

Hi, Jen! I was salivating over that omelet when I read Anno's post -- now I'm ready to hop in the car for an hour and try it in person! Kerrytown is one of my favorite destinations -- Hollanders, being the prime point, but from there that vintage shop on the second floor I can't afford, Eve (which I also can't afford, but ever since dining there once I've longed to go back), and of course a stone's throw from Zingermann's and Treasure Mart! Now I have a new destination for my journey's to A2! And I can't wait!

Congrats on your new job! Sounds like fun and after reading your blog, I know you'll be fabulous!

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About Me

AlternativeU is an (in process) nonprofit designed to help find useful, income-generating or debt free education experiences for 18- to 24-year-olds who do not choose to follow the traditional college route.